The present invention is directed to a convertible seat on an add-on section for use with a shopping cart. The convertible seat has a pivoting panel which can be alternated from an upright position to a lowered position. In the upright position, the panel functions as a back rest for passengers seated in the add-on section. Alternately, in the lowered position, the panel functions as a support surface for holding an infant carrier.
Infant carriers are commonly used by caretakers for holding infants. An infant carrier can serve as bed, seat, playpen, feeding chair and even car seat for a small child. Consequently, these infant carriers are versatile enough to enable the child to remain in the carrier while engaged in varying activities. Since these carriers are also portable, a caretaker can transport the baby in his or her infant carrier as the caretaker moves from one location to another.
On a shopping trip, an infant carrier enables the caretaker to more easily transport an infant therealong. Some stores even provide in-house infant carriers attached to their shopping carts in which shoppers can place their infants as they shop. While this may be a convenience to some shoppers, there are several drawbacks to having an in-house infant carrier attached to the shopping cart.
After each use, a shopping cart is generally returned to the store to be used by another shopper. Consequently, an infant carrier provided by the store on a shopping cart can be used repeatedly by different shoppers in a short period of time. Typically, neither the cart nor the attached infant carrier are cleaned by store personnel in between each use. As a result, the infant carrier can become dirty, sticky and/or unsanitary. Additionally, there is a risk of contagions being left on the carrier by previous users. By using an in-house infant carrier, the caretaker may risk exposing the child to unclean and unsafe conditions.
To reduce doubts about the cleanliness of the in-house infant carrier, a user can clean the carrier prior to placing the child in it. However, cleaning the infant carrier prior to every use can be inconvenient for a shopper since it requires the shopper""s time and the necessary cleaning supplies. There is the added inconvenience for the shopper to have to clean the carrier while he or she also supervises the attendant child who is to be placed in the carrier.
An in-house infant carrier is typically positioned directly over the cart""s child seat and is bolted to the cart. Therefore, the infant carrier is not readily removable. With the infant carrier so positioned, the cart""s child seat is inaccessible. A shopper needing to use the cart""s child seat instead of the infant carrier or in addition to the infant carrier is unable to use the shopping cart effectively.
Furthermore, if the child is already in an infant carrier when the shopper arrives at the store, the infant must be transferred from his infant carrier to the one attached to the shopping cart. Not only can this transfer process be inconvenient for the shopper, but it is also disruptive for the child, especially if the child is asleep.
Often to avoid moving an infant from his infant carrier to one provided on the shopping cart, a shopper will leave the baby in his carrier and simply place the carrier in the basket of the shopping cart. While this may be a more desirable alternative than moving the baby from his carrier to another, it is not always the most advantageous. With the infant and carrier in the basket, the amount of space in the shopping cart for storing items is decreased considerably. Some shoppers simply use two carts when shopping with an infant, one cart for holding the infant carrier, and the other cart for storing shopping items. However, it is difficult for one person to simultaneously maneuver two shopping carts.
Add-on sections that attach to shopping carts and provide additional seating for shopping carts are known in the art. While these add-on sections have passenger seating areas, they generally lack any special accommodation for holding an infant in his or her infant carrier. While the infant carrier may be perched on the seats of such add-on sections as the shopper completes his task, there exists a danger of the infant carrier sliding off the seat and injuring the infant.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a device that can be converted from a passenger seat to a holder for securely retaining an infant carrier along with an infant. Particularly, there is a need for a shopping cart add-on section that provides seating for passengers and alternately provides a secure support area for releasably holding an infant carrier.
The present invention is directed to a convertible seat for accommodating passengers on an add-on section used with a shopping cart that satisfies the need for a passenger area that can alternate between a configuration for holding seated passengers ranging in age from child to adult and a configuration for releasably holding an infant and an infant carrier.
The convertible seat of the add-on section comprises a pivoting panel that can be moved between an upright position in which a first surface of the panel provides a back rest for seated passengers and a lowered position in which a second surface of the panel provides a generally horizontal support surface for holding an infant and infant carrier thereon. A lip extending outwardly from the second surface of the panel and a holddown strap inhibit unwanted movement of the infant and carrier on the panel""s surface in the lowered positions thereby protecting the carrier from sliding off the panel""s surface.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a passenger add-on section for a shopping cart that can hold seated passengers and alternately hold an infant and infant carrier.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an add-on section for a shopping cart that can hold an infant carrier.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an add-on section for a shopping cart that can convert from a seat""s back rest to a support surface for holding an infant carrier.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a convertible seat having a back rest that converts to a generally horizontal support surface for supporting an infant carrier.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an add-on section for a shopping cart having a support area for releasably holding an infant carrier.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a seat having a back rest that folds from an upright position to a lowered position to function as a generally horizontally support surface.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a passenger add-on section for a shopping cart with an infant carrier support that inhibits unwanted movement of the infant carrier held thereon.